Portable round toilet building



Dec. 4, 1962 H. R. THARP 3,066,311

PORTABLE ROUND TOILET BUILDING Filed Oct. 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/a.Z5

v I 33 Z 24 I [+3 J Z0 /6 3Z- I 4 Z l l L INVENT OR flame 6. 7445/ Na. 2WM ATTORNEY 5.

United States Patent 3,066,311 PORTABLE ROUND TOILET BUILDING Homer R.Tharp, 610 E. Josephine St., San Antonio 2, Tex. Filed Oct. 17, 1961,Ser. No. 145,691 Claims. (ill. 4--3) This invention relates to aportable round toilet building which is completely self-contained andwhich may be moved from place to place as necessary to provide toiletfacilities in out-of-the-way situations, such, for example, as the siteof construction projects, public affairs meetings held out-of-doors, andthe like.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a round portabletoilet building of this character which will be completelyself-contained and which will conform to the several sanitation coderequirements of the variable States.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a lightweightportable toilet building of circular construction and formed on a basein such manner as to render it highly resistant to overturning by wind,crowd pressure, or similar forces.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter which is made of lightweight material, such as plastic, fiberglass, or the like, which requires no connection to any outside sourceof water or sewage.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character having a self-closing door.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a toiletbuilding which is of a weight and size to facilitate its readytransportation from site to site as may be necessary or desirable.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable andefiicient in operation, and also in accord with all of the severalsanitary codes, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outas the description of the invention proceeds and shown in theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of portable buildingconstructed in accordance with the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 22 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view, partially broken away,disclosing in detail the apparatus for rendering the door self-closing;and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 4-4 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instantinvention comprises a base or platform having a generally arcuateforward end 11 and supported by skids 12 which extend substantially thefull length of the platform. The forward ends of the skids preferablyterminate in tapered portions 13 to facilitate the sliding of the devicealong the ground. Base 10 is preferably constructed of a material suchas fiber glass or molded plastic or the like and a ring towingconnection 14 is permanently molded into the center of the arcuate frontportion 11.

A generally cylindrical upright building structure or body 18 is fixedlysecured to the base in rigid relation in any desired conventionalmanner, and is provided with a vertical access opening extending theentire height thereof, the opening being generally indicated at 19. Anarboth the housing or building 18 in the door being constructed of fiberglass or similar lightweight rigid material.

The door is mounted at its upper extremity in a channel 22 and isprovided with rollers 2211 which move between the flanges 23 and 23a ofthe channel 22.

A series of spacing elements 24 are positioned circumferentially aboutthe top of housing or building 18 and serve to support a fiat conicalroof 25 in spaced relation to the top wall of the building in order toprovide vent openings for ventilation purposes.

The lower portion of the platform is provided with an arcuate trackforming channel 28 aligned with and corresponding to the upper channel22, and rollers 29 are carried by the lower portion of the door 241)operating in the channel 28. Brackets 30 depending from the lowerportion of the door serve to support the rollers 29.

The opposed edges of the opening 19 are provided with facing members 32and 33, respectively, one of the facing members, 32, having at least onerecess therein in which is positioned a vertical rod 35 which carries aspring loaded rotatable reel 36. A line 37 is secured by one end to andextends about reel 36 and has its free end extending through an aperture38 in housing 13 and secured to the edge of the door by any suitablefastening member 39. A torque spring 40 provides the spring bias for thereel, and has one of its ends secured in the base of the opening 34 asindicated at 34a, and the other of its ends secured to reel 36, thearrangement being such as constantly to bias the string or cord woundabout the reel 36 in a direction to close the door 19. As indicated, thecord or line 37 is secured adjacent the top of the door so as not tointerfere with ingress and egress to and from the building.

The building contains the usual facilities including a toilet bowl 43having a seat 44 and a top 45 and a urinal 46 which is supported by avent pipe 47 which extends upwardly through the top 25 so that any fumesnormally occurring are vented to the atmosphere. Both the bowl 43 andurinal 46 contain any suitable liquid or semiliquid chemical solution ofwell-known characteristics to dissolve and render odorless humanexcretion without the necessity of connection to a sewage system, or thenecessity of running water in the building. Obviously, upon occasionswhere running water and connection to a sewage system is readilyavailable, appropriate connections may be made both to the bowl 43 andthe urinal 46 or the lower end of the vent pipe 47 for connection as maybe desirable.

A rack 50 is provided on the inner wall of the housing 18 and hasmounted therein one or more rolls of toilet tissue 51 as, for example,on a spindle 52.

A slot 53 extends transversely across the platform 10 to facilitate thecleaning of the interior of the build ing 18. q

The safety factor inherent in a round structure of this type providesextra insurance against damage in strong winds created by man or bynature. Hurricanes, strong gusts, prop wash, and exhaust from jetaircraft have less of an effect on a streamlined structure of thepresent type than on the standard square type.

The sanitary features inherent in fiber glas should also be noted. Fiberglass is practically non porous, it is slick, and cleans extremely well.Water and cleaning materials apply with remarkable ease and flush oifequally as well. Solids do not cling very readily to its slick surface.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved portable round toilet building which accomplishes all theobjects of this invention,

and others, including many advantages of great practical utility andcommercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made in this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: 1. A portable toilet building comprising a platform,

skids supporting said platform, a generally cylindrical housing havingan opening mounted on said platform, a

top for said housing, means intermediate said top and for receiving saidrollers, a facing member along at least one side of the opening ofsaid'housing, at least one recess in said facing member, a rod locatedwithin said recess, a reel rotatably mounted on said rod, a line securedby one end to and carried by said reel and having its other end fastenedto said door, a torque spring about said rod and having one end securedto said facing member and the other end secured to said reel wherebysaid torque spring will return said door to closed position when saiddoor is released.

2. A portable toilet building comprising a platform, a generallycylindrical housing having an opening mounted on said platform, a topfor said housing, an arcuate door normally closing the opening in saidhousing, a series of rollers supporting said door, said platform havinga track forming groove for receiving said rollers, a facing memberhaving a recess along one side of the opening of said housing, a rodlocated within said recess a reel rotatably mounted on said rod,flexible means secured by one end to and carried by said reel and havingthe other end thereof fastened to said door, spring means within saidrecess having one end secured to said'facing member and the other endsecured to said reel whereby said spring means will cause said reel torotate and close said door when said door is released.

3. A portable toilet comprising a platform, a cylindrical housing havingan opening fixedly mounted on said platform, an arcuate door closing theopening in said housing, roller means supporting said door, a memberhaving a recess mounted on said housing, a rod located within the recessof said member, a reel rotatably mounted on said rod, flexible meanssecured at one end to and carried on said reel and having the other endthereof connected to said door, spring means within said recess havingone end secured to said member and the other end secured to said reel torotate said reel and bias said door to closed position.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said platform has a cleaning slotsubstantially the width of said housmg.

5. A portable toilet building comprising a platform, skids supportingsaid platform, a generally cylindrical housing having an opening mountedon said platform, a top for said housing, means intermediate said topand said housing providing ventilation, a toilet bowl positioned in saidhousing and extending transversely thereof, a vent pipe on said toiletbowl in communication with the interior thereof, said vent pipeextending vertically through the top of said housing and terminatingoutwardly thereof, a urinal formed integral with said vent pipeintermediate the ends thereof, a door closing the opening of saidhousing, a series of rollers supporting said door and permitting linearmovement thereof in a circular path, said platform having a trackforming groove for receiving said rollers, a facing member along atleast one side of the opening of said housing, at least one recess insaid facing member, a rod located within said recess, a reel rotatablymounted on said rod, a line secured by one end to and carried by saidreel and having its other end fastened to said door, a torque springabout said rod and having one end secured to said facing member and theother end secured to said reel whereby said torque spring will returnsaid door to closed position when said door is released, and portions ofsaid platform within said housing defining a cleaning slot therethrough.

Evans Mar. 19, 1946 Kulka Sept. 12, 1961

